Disruption of various types of cells and tissues, mixing solutions and centrifugation are very widespread procedures both in biomedical researches and clinics. Often these procedures are performed in multiple test tubes. The test tubes filled with various solutions, cell suspensions or pieces of tissues, are exposed to homogenization, or mixing, or resuspension, or disruption, or disintegration followed by centrifugation. Accordingly tubes having tested media inside should be taken from a rack, manually placed in a device that makes homogeneous solution of the media, and then manually placed in a centrifuge rotor. These procedures are time-consuming and tedious, and often lead to mistakes i placing of tubes in a proper order, eventually leading to mistakes in experimental results. An automated device which combines these functions to reduce manual operations and inevitable errors would be very desirable.
However, existing technologies of mixing/disintegration centrifugation are the main obstacle for creation of such a device.
The nature of the processes of homogenization/resuspension and disintegration/disruption of substances are quite opposite to the centrifugation process. The first two are used to make homogenized media, whereas the centrifugation needs to separate the homogenized media into liquid and solid components. This difference determines differences in mechanical principals of the existing devices: homogenization/resuspension is achieved by vibrating, shaking and vortexing of media in test tubes whereas centrifugation—by high-speed rotation of tubes along an outside axis. As a result, even though these processes are usually performed subsequently, they are incompatible.
The development of a device that can perform both processes became possible after a new striking technology for homogenization/resuspension of substances and disintegration/disruption of tissues and cells was invented (US patents “Mixer having means for periodically mechanically striking liquid-containing tubes to induce motion of the tubes” U.S. Pat. No. 5,769,538).
The technology is based on striking of test tubes with media placed inside. The tubes are subjected to thousands (5,000–8,000 or more) of hits per minute that induce vigorous turbulent motion of the media and a very effective homogenization/resuspension of substances and disintegration/disruption of cells and tissues in presence of glass beads. As a striking means it is used multiple of extensions engaged the tubes' walls when the striking means is rotated.
The described technology, as well as centrifugation technology, both based on rotation of the tubes or means for their processing about outside axis. These technologies are compatible, that is exploited in the present invention.
Accordingly, a principal object of the present invention is to provide an automated deice for mixing and homogenization substances or resuspension pellets or disintegration of living cells, or disruption of tissues placed in test tubes, and subsequent centrifugation these media. Additional advantage of the device is ability to remove the rotor from the device, and place it on a separate stand to be used as a rack for manipulations with the tubes.